The present invention relates generally to medical imaging systems and techniques, and more particularly, to a technique for masking or obfuscating text or other indicia in medical images on an automated basis.
Many techniques are known for generating images in the medical diagnostics contexts. These include X-ray systems, computed tomography systems, magnetic resonance imaging systems, positron emission tomography systems, tomosynthesis systems, to mention just a few. In modern medical imaging, pixilated images are generated in digital formats. The pixilated images comprise rows and columns of pixels that are associated with one another in a matrix to define a useful image when reconstructed. The images typically depict anatomies and features of interest in diagnosing physical conditions, disease states, and so forth.
Medical diagnostics images are, however, sensitive in nature. Many such images not only illustrate the subject's anatomy, but provide user-readable indicia of various parameters and information. Certain information may be encoded into a header in a data stream. Such header information is well-known format, and sensitive information may be easily deleted from the header data. More problematic, however, are indicia that are provided in the image itself. Such indicia may be defined by contrasting pixels which, together, form letters or other indicia that are decipherable by human readers. The indicia typically provide some identification of the patient, as well as date, description, and other useful data for the medical professionals involved in producing the images and diagnosing the patient condition.
Due to the highly private and sensitive nature of medical images, however, laws and ethical consideration dictate that certain information should be removed from the images, and indeed from the patient records. It is desirable, for example, to remove information from diagnostic images that could uniquely identify a particular patient. However, where pixilated information is encoded into the image itself, removal or masking of the indicia can be extremely time consuming and imprecise.
There is a need, therefore, for an improved technique for obfuscating or masking indicia in medical diagnostics and similar images that can be implemented on an automated basis. There is a particular need for automated systems for removing, covering, or otherwise masking patient identification data in medical diagnostics images.